Life Underlined

My second grader came home with a writing assignment this year with certain words underlined. They weren’t underlined by the teacher or inked in a different color so I wasn’t sure of the purpose of the mark.

When I queried him regarding the meaning he replied that they underline words as they write because they are unsure of the spelling as if to tell the teacher, “I’m going out on a limb here and I fully realize I might be wrong.” I thought it was brilliant and wish we could apply this to adulthood.

I would love to have a perpetual line running under me at all times:

I’m sort of making this up as I go along, please be patient. I’ve never done this next phase of life or parenting before, please give me some grace here.

I know friends who are struggling with sobriety, rocky marriages, mental health, financial struggles, new businesses, heading back to school and all of them are underlining it with a big fat red mark saying:

I’m barely keeping my head above water, please don’t push me down.

So, today—just for today—can we realize that we are all underlining this thing called life?

Can we be more patient with the one who is a new driver, a new mom, a new nurse, a new waitress, a new cashier and even a new fitness instructor? Instead of mocking or berating them can we give a generous dose of grace as we acknowledge the underlined message of them clearly saying with their actions,

“I’m going out on a limb here and I fully realize I might be wrong.”

Yes. Yes, you might.

But kudos for showing up and writing your life anyway, mistakes and all.

A life without underlined struggles flush with new, hard things isn’t a life at all—it’s just a blank page.

Photo cred: Pexels.com

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About the Part I Love

Writing is my gift and my therapy. I share what I’ve felt and learned as I’ve muddled through my hard things, my eureka moments and the many, many hilarious events that mark my days with joy.
elizabeth@thepartilove.com